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Related Story MPS Has Projected $25,000,000 DEFICIT!

In a January 21 hearing, Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent Carol Johnson announced that her district's 2003-2004 projected budget deficit went up by three million dollars since last month to a whopping $28 million. This isn't counting the fact that the legislature will probably make major cuts to the school district's state subsidy in order to balance the state budget.

The deficit increased because Minneapolis is expected to have 1,000 fewer students next year, and because the state pays districts per pupil, the district will recieve less money. Johnson did not comment on the reasons for the enrollment drop, but part of it may be that parents who have seen the district's poor performance in recent years are bailing out of the district in the hopes that their children might actually learn something in the classroom.

Johnson's Proposed "Solution"

Stressing that the deficit (which is still just 6% or so of the districts' $470,000,000+ annual budget) is tragic, Johnson proposed increases in class sizes. She also wants to cut 209 classroom teaching jobs, while preserving as much of PencilPusher Central as she can by firing just 60 of the leeches at the 807 NE Broadway office building. In addition, all department heads are expected to trim a small percentage from their budgets.

Class Size Hikes in Detail

• K-2 class sizes will grow from 19 to 22 students.
• Third Grade class sizes will decrease from 25 to 22 students.
• 4-8 class sizes will grow from 25 to 28 students.
• 9-12 (high school) class sizes will grow from 26 to 30 students.

These Class Size Hikes Are a BREACH OF CONTRACT with the TAXPAYERS!

Most of these class size modifications are reasonable, but Johnson seems to have forgotten that in 2000, during the Vote Yes 4 Kids campaign, the district promised to keep class sizes at a maximum of about 26 students. Now, rather than closing PencilPusher Central or reining in the teacher's union, the administration wants to go back on their referendum promise and breach their contract with Minneapolis voters and taxpayers!

Since 1991, Minneapolis residents have been paying extra property taxes to keep class sizes down, as agreed to in three referendums, in 1990, 1996, and 2000. The most recent referendum, the one passed in 2000, keeps taxes high (and is supposed to keep class sizes low) through the 2008-09 school year. Taxpayers have kept their end of the bargain by shelling out more than ever to the district, and the district needs to keep their end of the bargain, too. Otherwise, if class sizes go above 26, then the district has breached their contract with the voters and ought to be sued for the money back. BOTTOM LINE: If the district won't spend the money the way they agreed to, then they should return it to the taxpayers. This is not negotiable. If the union is asking for too much, tell them you don't have it. If the doctors/HMOs want too much, find a cheaper health plan. If no health plan is cheaper, have your grossly overpaid general counsel sue the HMOs for price fixing. Fire pencil pushers and assistant principals. But don't think you can commit fraud and get away with it.

Public Hearings on the Proposed Cuts

Because the district doesn't like to be very accountable, Johnson's supposedly public presentation was made at 2pm on a Tuesday, when many people have to work. When faced with the requirement to have an opportunity for feedback on the cuts, the district decided not to use surveys like they did in January and February 2002 (after all, those attracted too much attention) and instead held two public hearings during dinnertime (5:30-7:30pm on Feb. 5 and 6, 2003), when many people were unable to attend.

Whatever your opinion about this budget plan is, we'd like you to share it in our Message Board. And thanks for visiting.--Dr. Vinny, South High Sucks.com Founder & Publisher

Editor's Note: Click here to view a previous article about the 2003-2004 deficit

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